Embraer donates ERJ 145 jet prototype to Musal
Historic aircraft marked the launch of the Company’s family of regional jets
São José dos Campos, November 2010 – Embraer delivered the ERJ 140-801 prototype, tail number PT-ZJA, today, to the Aerospace Museum (Museu Aeroespacial – MUSAL), during a ceremony held at the museum, located at Campo dos Afonsos, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft launched the Company’s successful family of ERJ 145 regional jets, and now joins the museum’s collection of around one hundred other historic aircraft, many of which were manufactured by Embraer.
The first model of the family of regional jets was the ERJ 145, as a result of the aviation market demand for fast, less expensive jets. Embraer began to develop a jet aircraft with 50 seats, in 1989, but the project was interrupted by the crisis faced by the Company.
In 1991, however, the development of the EMB 145 (original name of the ERJ 145) was reactivated and, that same year, studies began to schedule several changes. Thus, the PT-ZJA prototype of the ERJ 145 took its first flight in August 1995, and was certified by the then- CTA (Aeronautics Technical Center), now the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia Aeroespacial – DCTA), in 1996.
In order to meet market needs, Embraer decided to develop new versions based on the ERJ 145 platform, which resulted in the launch of the ERJ 135, with a fuselage shortened by 3.54 meters and 37 seats. So, the PT-ZJA prototype, which up to that time had the characteristics of an ERJ 145, had its original configuration altered to that of an ERJ 135, and it flew for the first time on July 4, 1998, followed by CTA and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification, in 1999.
Later, in response to customer needs, Embraer announced the development of the ERJ 140, in September 1999. The model was conceived for 44 passengers, with a fuselage 2.12 meters longer than that of the ERJ 135 and 1.42 meter shorter than that of the ERJ 145. Once again, the structure of the PT-ZJA prototype was modified, and it flew for the first time in the ERJ 140 configuration, on June 27, 2000.
About the ERJ 145 program
The ERJ 145 platform, from which a family of commercial jets arose, was created in 1989. The idea was to use jets on commercial routes that, up to that time, were served by turboprop aircraft.
The crisis experienced by the Company in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s shelved the project until 1991. That year, the ERJ 145 program was reactivated, and the initial configuration was modified, for aerodynamic and structural reasons.
The program moved ahead and, on August 11, 1995, Embraer’s first commercial jet took off. It was then called the EMB 145, to later be renamed the ERJ 145, which became a commercial aviation phenomenon, and it was the main reason for the Company’s recovery.
From that first aircraft arose a family of airplanes based on the same platform: the 37-seat ERJ 135, the 44-seat ERJ 140, and the ERJ 145 XR, which had a longer range than the original model.
The super midsize Legacy 600 was also developed on the same platform, and was Embraer’s first executive jet, which has delivered nearly 200 aircraft, as well as the new large Legacy 650. The EMB 145 AEW&C, EMB 145 MP, and EMB 145 Multi Intel are Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, and serve the Air Forces of Brazil, Mexico, and Greece. Currently, more than 1,100 commercial, executive and defense jets from the ERJ 145 family operate on five continents.
The first model of the family of regional jets was the ERJ 145, as a result of the aviation market demand for fast, less expensive jets. Embraer began to develop a jet aircraft with 50 seats, in 1989, but the project was interrupted by the crisis faced by the Company.
In 1991, however, the development of the EMB 145 (original name of the ERJ 145) was reactivated and, that same year, studies began to schedule several changes. Thus, the PT-ZJA prototype of the ERJ 145 took its first flight in August 1995, and was certified by the then- CTA (Aeronautics Technical Center), now the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia Aeroespacial – DCTA), in 1996.
In order to meet market needs, Embraer decided to develop new versions based on the ERJ 145 platform, which resulted in the launch of the ERJ 135, with a fuselage shortened by 3.54 meters and 37 seats. So, the PT-ZJA prototype, which up to that time had the characteristics of an ERJ 145, had its original configuration altered to that of an ERJ 135, and it flew for the first time on July 4, 1998, followed by CTA and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certification, in 1999.
Later, in response to customer needs, Embraer announced the development of the ERJ 140, in September 1999. The model was conceived for 44 passengers, with a fuselage 2.12 meters longer than that of the ERJ 135 and 1.42 meter shorter than that of the ERJ 145. Once again, the structure of the PT-ZJA prototype was modified, and it flew for the first time in the ERJ 140 configuration, on June 27, 2000.
About the ERJ 145 program
The ERJ 145 platform, from which a family of commercial jets arose, was created in 1989. The idea was to use jets on commercial routes that, up to that time, were served by turboprop aircraft.
The crisis experienced by the Company in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s shelved the project until 1991. That year, the ERJ 145 program was reactivated, and the initial configuration was modified, for aerodynamic and structural reasons.
The program moved ahead and, on August 11, 1995, Embraer’s first commercial jet took off. It was then called the EMB 145, to later be renamed the ERJ 145, which became a commercial aviation phenomenon, and it was the main reason for the Company’s recovery.
From that first aircraft arose a family of airplanes based on the same platform: the 37-seat ERJ 135, the 44-seat ERJ 140, and the ERJ 145 XR, which had a longer range than the original model.
The super midsize Legacy 600 was also developed on the same platform, and was Embraer’s first executive jet, which has delivered nearly 200 aircraft, as well as the new large Legacy 650. The EMB 145 AEW&C, EMB 145 MP, and EMB 145 Multi Intel are Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, and serve the Air Forces of Brazil, Mexico, and Greece. Currently, more than 1,100 commercial, executive and defense jets from the ERJ 145 family operate on five continents.
Source: EMBRAER
